Legislation

Terms of Reference—Secretary’s Review of Commonwealth Legal Services

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Having regard to the role of the Attorney-General as First Law Officer, the size of Commonwealth legal spend, the diversity of the Commonwealth's legal needs, the Efficiency through Contestability Programme and the need for an efficient and proportionate framework for the sustainable delivery of effective legal services to and by the Commonwealth and its entities the Review is to examine and report on:

The means for ensuring appropriately coordinated and aligned Commonwealth legal services that avoid duplication, identify and manage Commonwealth legal risks and take account of whole of government issues;

The efficiency and effectiveness of legal branches of Commonwealth entities, including how in-house legal work is and should be organised and what elements of Commonwealth legal work should be competitively sourced;

The appropriate mechanisms for the efficient procurement of external legal services by Commonwealth entities, including the Legal Services Multi-Use List;

The appropriate role and scope of tied legal work;

Potential improvements to the Legal Services Directions 2005;

Possible savings to be brought forward in the 2016 Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook; and

Any other relevant matter concerning the delivery, performance or cost of Commonwealth legal work.